Having
just finished a tour of duty in Iraq, Dr. Tyler
Winthrop is ready to join his father, Craig, for a
little downtime in Paris. But when Craig
disappears, Tyler is yanked back into the brutal
realm of danger and the unknown, and his fate
quickly becomes entwined with attractive French
counterintelligence agent Isabella Floret as he
looks for his missing father.
Risk escalates and trust dwindles as the pair
uncovers ties between Tyler's father's
disappearance and a terrorist plot that could take
the war on terror in unthinkable new directions.
As lines separating enemy and ally increasingly
blur, Tyler and Isabella are sent on a
pulse-pounding race through Paris while the
security of nations hangs in the balance—and
dangerous connections are the only aid to be
found.
Discussion
Questions:
1. Tyler is trying to find peace in his life after
his tour of duty in Iraq but seems to be thwarted
at every turn. With war so prevalent in today’s
world, is finding peace a central theme for
everyday people?
2. The USA and the French have a unique
relationship in that they have helped each other
during crises, yet sometimes no support has been
offered. Did you feel like the book presented a
fair view of both countries and their attempts to
win the war on terror?
3. If you could insert yourself as one character
from the book, who would it be, and why?
4. Isabella feels a lot of responsibility for
those around her and is struggling with feelings
of guilt. How does she cope with this, and do you
feel like she found solutions to her problems by
the end of the book?
5. If you could rewrite the ending, what would you
change?
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1.
What caused you to begin writing this book?
I loved the idea of exploring the journey of those
support people, like doctors, who have served in
Iraq and Afghanistan and how they reconcile their
feelings of wanting to help with the horrors of
war. Of course, I loved Dr. Tyler Winthrop from All’s
Fair and felt like I could put him in another
stressful situation that would either help him
find the peace he was searching for or forever put
it out of his reach. I decided to set the book in
Paris after I visited there because of the unique
relationship between the USA and the French as
well as the beauty and history of Paris.
2. What do you most enjoy about being an
author? I enjoy the process of creating
something. Holding a book in my hands that is the
culmination of words and ideas that came out of my
head is very exciting for me. I also love meeting
people who have read my books and discussing what
they thought of it. I’ve had some very
interesting conversations with people from all
walks of life, including truckers, soldiers, and
even a prison warden. It’s been an amazing
experience.
3. What do you hope people come away with
after reading your book? I hope people
come away with the feeling that they were
transported to another country and caught up in
the events just like my characters were. I want
them to experience all the thrills and exciting
moments so that when they close that back cover,
they feel like they have finished a really great
ride.
4. What kind of research did you do for
this book, and how long did it take? I
did a lot of research on this book because of the
French DGSE and the nature of the terrorist
threat. I love exploring what other countries have
to offer the world in counter-terrorism units. And
part of the terrorist threat storyline is based on
a real-life concern that water tanks for American
personnel were vulnerable to several diseases, and
I just took it a step farther with a bio-toxin and
the terrorist angle.
5. What is the next project you are
working on? I am working on another
suspense novel with an American journalist who
gets caught up in an international incident, which
could start a nuclear arms race among terrorist
factions.
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1.
How did the French help the Continental Army
during the Revolutionary war?
2. What did Isabella cook for Tyler in the
safehouse?
3. What three famous Parisian tourist attractions
does Tyler visit in Paris?
4. What was Devigny’s motivation for becoming a
traitor?
5. What was the name of the airport where the
hangar blew up? Trivia
Answers:
1.The French provided financial support, arms,
supplies, and forces in order to help the
Continental Army defeat the British.
2. A French omelet
3. The Musée d’Orsay, the Arc de Triomphe, and
Montmartre.
4. His little brother’s death.
5. Orly
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Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
2 tbsp. butter
Beat together the eggs, water, salt, and pepper
with a fork until combined but not frothy. In a 6
or 8 inch skillet with flared sides, heat the
butter until it sizzles and browns slightly. Lift
and tilt the pan to coat the sides. Add egg
mixture; cook over medium heat. As eggs set, run a
spatula around the edge of the skillet, lifting
the eggs to allow the uncooked portion to flow
underneath. When eggs are set but still shiny,
remove from heat. Once the eggs are set, add any
omelet filling before folding. Once filling
is in place, fold omelet in half. Slide omelet to
edge of pan. Tilt skillet, then invert to roll
omelet out onto a warm serving plate. Makes 2
servings. Possible Omelet Fillings:
Sauté thinly sliced leeks in butter; add along
with sliced Camembert or brie cheese
Cubed/sliced ham with any kind of cheese
Cream cheese cut into cubes with sliced green
onions and a couple of slices of smoked salmon
Cooked potato, some ricotta cheese, and plenty of
fresh-ground black pepper
Herbs like thyme, parsley, chives, tarragon,
and chervil, alone or combined (1-2 Tbsp)
Cooked vegetables, such as, like chopped
asparagus, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant,
or peppers
Diced fresh tomato or avocado
Currant jelly and a sprinkle of confectioner’s
sugar
Use your own ideas, and feel free to improvise
with what you have on hand
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